


Casual Closeness

by CreamMoon



Series: Bottom Arthur Fest 2017 [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Background Relationships, Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Hook-Up, Light Angst, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 15:19:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10596735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamMoon/pseuds/CreamMoon
Summary: [your dick better not be small]It took less than a minute for Merlin to respond.[You'll do.]





	

**Author's Note:**

> Fic for the 2nd day of the fest! This one went a little wild, it was really meant to be a pwp I swear!!

"It's... it's not as though I'm... I'm attached." He groaned, pressing his forehead harder into the crook of his elbow. "S'absurd... Just..."

"Closest lay." Merlin supplied, nipping at the back of his neck as their pace picked up, the obscene slap of their hips meeting making Arthur redder in the face.

"Exactly."

"Same for me." Long fingers wrapped around his shaft and squeezed as the words left Merlin's mouth, ghosting hotly over the shell of his ear. "S'not a habit if it's convenient."

"E-exactly." Arthur repeated, reaching back and grabbing at one side of the taller man's bony hips, pulling him in harder still and completely throwing off their tempo. Fuck, he just needed a rough fuck. A quickie, even. Merlin was just _there_. An accessible dick.

All he wanted to do was get off, that was it.

***

It would've been less weird if they hadn't known each other first. Friend of a friend sort of thing. Always seeing each other at functions but never really bothering to connect. They were happy with the space. Merlin thought Arthur was kind of a dick. Arthur thought Merlin was a loud mouth.

The whole pattern started when Arthur moved into Merlin's neighborhood, his building less than a block away. Then the following Friday... both happened to be looking for someone. After fruitlessly searching for a half hour Arthur found that Merlin popped into his feed. After that he turned his brain off and took a shot in the dark. He wasn't going another night without a little human contact.

[your dick better not be small]

It took less than a minute for Merlin to respond.

[You'll do.]

***

Somehow they'd ended up getting off in Merlin's stairwell, then Arthur's the next week, around one in the morning, something secretly neither man wanted to admit to being vaguely uncomfortable but turned on by. For two weeks they held off before Merlin broke and messaged Arthur a series of clearly perverse emojis along with a time.

It went on like that for three months until...

"Have you and Merlin become friends or something?"

"What?" Arthur asked as he pulled the glasses down so they could get around to mixing the drinks. "No. Why?"

Gwaine raised an eyebrow at him when he looked back, the shorter man scrubbing a hand across his bearded chin as he considered Arthur carefully. "You seem awfully _comfortable_ all of a sudden."

A pause.

"Also you didn't have to ask where he keeps his tumblers."

Shoulders tense Arthur looked back at him, trying to maintain a blank expression. Glancing down he noticed that the number on Gwaine's rugby jersey was all wrong. Raising his eyes back up he pointedly furrowed his brow. "Why is it you're wearing Lance's jersey?"

The brunette pursed his lips, opened his mouth, then closed it and left the kitchen.

***

Arthur stared blankly into the middle drawer of Merlin's dresser, leaning heavily against the edge as he wondered at the contents.

"What're you doing back here?" Suddenly Merlin was there, frowning at him. "Are you that sloshed already?"

"We're dating." Arthur stated, looking him in dead in the eye as he scrubbed one hand earnestly through his hair.

Merlin squeaked, looking at him like he was nuts. "What?"

"I have a drawer here." He tapped his index finger against the soft contents of the drawer: shirts, pants, and jeans. All his and all there because things had gotten wildly out of control. "You have a toothbrush at my place."

The dark haired man scoffed, face flushed. "Oh come off it."

"Merlin we're fucking dating."

"No, we're fucking fucking." He replied, face redder than it had been before. "You're the one who said it was all about convenience."

"You agreed!"

"So we're _not_ dating." Merlin huffed, finally shutting to door behind him so no one could walk in on the conversation.

"My drawer says otherwise." Arthur muttered, idly pushing the clothing back and forth. Really it wasn't just this. They were practically in each other's pockets with how much time they were spending together. At this point messaging on Grindr felt like a half assed pretense.

"You're having a drunk crisis about nothing, go drink some water, clotpole."

***

"You're fucking dating."

"I know." Arthur said morosely, nursing a beer as he and Gwaine sat staring out from Merlin's balcony. "How'd we end up in the same boat?"

"Because Lance is ashamed of me and you fuckers are too stubborn." Gwaine replied, tone low as he raised his bottle to his lips. "Or, at least Merlin is since you've gone and admitted it."

"I didn't want to." He muttered, picking at the label on his bottle absently. "But... but you noticed. And I've got a drawer."

Gwaine whistled low, his expression an attempt at mockery but his gaze looking more depressed than anything. "A whole drawer, huh?"

***

A few Sunday mornings later finds Arthur laying yet again in Merlin's bed, the taller man curled up against his back as he contemplated this series of choices yet again. Despite the revelation Merlin had still pointedly ignored the fact. They continued to meet up, have it off, and then hang around... sometimes they even went out! They were practically going out on dates! And yet...

And yet they were going nowhere. Arthur couldn't figure out why that hurt so much.

***

Eventually Lance and Gwaine broke the news that they were an item. Somehow only Arthur had picked up on it, everyone else in their group agog.

"It just seems so unlikely!" Morgana said conversationally, gesturing vaguely with her glass toward the two across the room. They'd all gathered at her ridiculous penthouse for an honest to god Dinner Party. She'd even included a dress code.

Merlin looked heartbreakingly good in a dress shirt and slacks, his violet sleeves rolled up to the elbows, one hand in his pocket and the other lazily holding his own glass to one side as he chatted with Percy. Arthur took a sip of his whiskey, closing his eyes as he mentally attempted to banish the heavy feeling that had settled on his sternum.

"Honestly I'm shocked Lance gave him a chance with what a flake he's known to be. Didn't he fuck off on an ex to go to France for a few weeks?"

"Italy." He sighed, Morgana just giggling softly at the correction. "People change, Morgana."

"Not over night." She shot back, tucking her hair behind her ear as she lifted her glass to her lips. "I give them a month."

It had already been four. He almost said so. But that would be skirting too close to home.

"Mm... Whatever." He said instead, dismissing the line of conversation as best he could, pointedly looking out the window instead of where he really wanted.

***

The drawer has become a drawer and a half, along with a spare toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner. Merlin still primly has only a spare tooth brush at his place. Arthur wonders dismally if Merlin is simply not bothered by space invasion instead of his presence actually being welcomed.

They're still messaging through Grindr.

It's been six months.

***

It comes to him one late afternoon when he walks through Merlin's door with two heavy bags of takeout, his stomach woefully empty and grumbling as he crosses the threshold.

Merlin's clearly just showered, his hair sticking a bit to his neck and his ears just a little more noticeable with how his hair is less fluffed. He's pink cheeked and bright eyed, holding the door open for him.

It's like he's been kicked in the chest, suddenly breathless as Merlin eyes him curiously. "Something wrong?"

Oh yes, something's very wrong, Arthur screams internally.

I'm in love with you.

***

Work keeps them on other ends of the block for two weeks before Arthur gets a push message notification that consists of an eggplant, winky face, and peach emoji.

Arthur rubs at his eyes, takes a deep breath, and sends back a response before pocketing his phone.

[off in 20]

***

When Merlin slides inside him he has a hard time breathing, shutting his eyes as sparks roll up his spine. He settles his legs around the paler man's hips, his arms looped loosely around Merlin's neck for the time being. It's comfortable, easy... They'd done it many times before.

Merlin's on his elbows over him, his hands curling over Arthur's shoulders as he brushes his nose against its counterpart. For the moment there's only breathing to be heard.

"Oh my god, Arthur..." Arthur blinks his eyes open at the prompting, brow furrowing as he finds Merlin looking back with something like desperation. Or worry? No, shock perhaps?

"I'm in love with you."

Suddenly Arthur's eyes stung like mad, his temper flaring. "Are you kidding me!?"

"A-Arthur!?" The blonde shoved his face up against Merlin's neck, cheeks suddenly wet as he wrapped himself tighter around the imbecile.

"You utter obtuse moron!! I'm going to punch your lights out!" He sobbed, Merlin squirming and trying to peel away, eventually separating them enough to press their foreheads together as he squawked and made a general unhelpful nuisance of himself. All while _balls deep_ in the man he apparently _loved_.

"I'm going to pound you, you..." He trailed off, finding himself under and onslaught of kisses over his cheeks and forehead, tears still slipping by.

"Technically I'm the one doing the pounding."

Arthur actually slammed his fist down on Merlin's shoulder for that, earning a wince and a rough chuckle. "Okay I deserved that."

Sniffling Arthur flopped back, pulling his hands away so he could wipe his eyes, Merlin pushing up on his hands but not moving away fully like he'd expected. "...is it all right?"

"What?"

"Is it all right?" Merlin repeated once Arthur was looking at him again. The dark haired man touched his cheek tentatively. "That I'm in love with you, I mean."

Arthur punched him in the arm that time, pushing the heels of his palms against his own eyes as Merlin made complaining sounds, shifting his hips solely to get a further rise out of the blonde. "Y-you utter idiot."

"I... I was beginning to think it was just me." He pushed out, drawing his hands away but not daring to open his eyes for fear of losing his nerve. "That I really was out of my mind that... that I had fallen in love with the wrong person."

Merlin lets go a laugh that sounds just so simply relieved that Arthur wants to hit him again for being so blind. For making him wait so long. For making him feel so scared. Instead he just pulls him back down, kissing the daylights out of him as he digs his heels into the man's skinny behind, urging him to move.

"I love you." He says outright as Merlin pulls away, starting a slow tempo for them as he smooths his hands over Arthur's shoulders again, their foreheads resting together. "I love you so much..."

"I love you too."

After that they let their bodies do the talking, their languid pace making Arthur quake and moan, Merlin gasping loudly as they came together and embraced each other tightly.

"Does... does this mean I get some closet space now?"

Merlin just laughed, burying his face in the crook of his neck.


End file.
